WASHINGTON – This Stanley Cup defense is starting off the way the Devils’ last one ended. At the same time Lou Lamoriello wasted a golden chance to end the stalemate that is depriving New Jersey of Jason Arnott and Scott Niedermayer.

“It’s the toughest loss in our five games, but it’s way too early to panic. It’s just a matter of me making a few saves,” said Martin Brodeur, yanked for the first time in more than two seasons as the Devils were embarrassed 5-2 by the previously winless Caps here last night.

Now 0-2-1 on the road, and .500 overall, the Devils managed only a point against winless Atlanta on this two-game trip.

“We had too many passengers, guys who didn’t want to pay the price,” Larry Robinson groused. “We took four or five needless penalties and we didn’t get very good goaltending. That adds up to a loss.”

Lamoriello, meanwhile, did not take advantage of two days in the same city as the visiting agent for Arnott and Niedermayer, leaving with the team last night without any substantial contact.

With all his other concerns, Robinson should be worrying about one of the team’s historic strengths. The Devils uncharacteristically generous penalty-killing went further south, allowing two goals on two first-period shorthanded situations.

“When we’re killing penalties, I don’t think we feel we can kill them. We have to straighten that out as quick as we can, the way they’re calling penalties,” Brodeur said.

Brodeur must also regain his usual form. The Devils become mediocre if he isn’t superb, and he wasn’t on this trip, giving up three goals on 16 shots in Atlanta Tuesday and 4-on-11 last night.

“Personally, [being yanked] makes it easy. You don’t have to fight the bad night,” Brodeur said.

The bad night started early, with Turner Stevenson in the box as Washington built a 2-0 lead despite a 13-4 first-period shot disadvantage. Steve Konowalchuk opened the scoring at 3:36 with his third, following the play to pick up a puck poked off Peter Bondra by Scott Stevens. Konowalchuk’s shot, Washington’s first, hit Brodeur before trickling into the net

Adam Oates made it 2-0 at 18:05, with the first of two in a four-point night. Jeff Halpern’s right-point shot deflected to Oates at the right side of the net, and Brodeur knocked back Oates’ centering pass into the crease, but straight to Oates, who put it between Brodeur’s legs.

The Devils have allowed seven PPGs in 25 shorthanded situations, only a 72-percent kill rate, compared to their 5-for-67 playoff mastery that helped bring home the Stanley Cup.

Sergei Nemchinov halved the Caps’ lead at 1:11 of the second, after Alex Mogilny outraced Sylvain Cote to a dump in the right corner. Mogilny fed Nemchinov coming through the right circle, and Nemchinov’s backhand from a sharp angle befuddled Olaf Kolzig for his second.

Oates scored his second of the night and season at 7:43, with Scott Stevens caught up-ice. Brian Rafalski had trouble with a puck in his skates against Konowalchuk, and Oates stepped in to take the puck and fire over Brodeur’s glove.

Brodeur was removed in favor of Chris Terreri after Bondra’s fifth of the year at 13:54 of the second. After coming out from behind the net to the left circle, Bondra was thrown down by Mogilny as he passed to Oates behind the net. Mogilny then left Bondra to rise and fire in the return for a 4-1 Washington lead.